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No. 614,965. Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. D. MACL-AY, Decd.

. H. MAOLAY, Admlnlstratrlx.

AMALGAMATOR.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1897 65 Illll. 2

No. 6l4,965. Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. D. MAGLAY, Decd. M H MAGLAY Admlmstratrlx AMALGAMATOB.

(Application filed-Oct. 26, 1897.)

3 Sheets-Sheet .2.

(No Model.)

/N VEN 70/? Jarnealzam ATTORNEYS.

No. 614,965. A Patented Nov. 29, I898. J. D. MACLAY, Decd. M. H. MACLAY Administratrix. AMALGAMATOB.

(Application filed Oct. 26, 1897.) (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

iqq- 3- WITNESSES lNVENTOH JZarwvDM/nrv Malay. f a @M BY W W A 77'OHNE Y8.

NITED STATES PATENT Fries.

JAMES DUNN MAOLAY, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY; MINNIE H. MACLAY ADMINISTRATRIX OF SAID JAMES DUNN MACLAY, DECEASED.

AMALGAMATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 614,965, dated November 29, 1898. Application filed October 26, 1897. Serial No. 666,437. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES DUNN MACLAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky,have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Amalgamators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of amalgamators shown in United States Patent to Calder and Maclay, dated October 4, 1887, No. 371,031.

My present invention is an improvement upon the former one in particulars hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,three sheets, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved amalgamator. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views of the flour or float gold arrester.

A is an open framework, comprising a base A, vertical posts or standards A A A A suitably braced and connected by transverse and longitudinal cross-pieces, as shown.

B is the ore-feed block, cast or formed in a single piece and provided with a vertical oblong or elliptical opening B therethrough for the down-passage of the gold-bearing material or slush therethrough. The lower longitudinal edges of this opening B are rounded, as shown at b, and the upper end of the opening is made flaring, as at b for the ready entrance of the material from any suitable feed or supply pipe. The ore-feed block is rigidly suspended transverselyin the middle portion of the frame A by means of four rods or bolts 12 b b I), the upper ends of which are secured to the stationary transverse frame-bar A 0 is the vertically-adjustable oscillating box, suspended by means of the /\-shaped hangers C, which straddle the bar A and are connected at their upper ends to a rockshaft C having knife-edges resting on bearing-plates 0 upon the upper edges of the top longitudinal frame-bars A but these hangers may be otherwise pivotally supported at their upper ends. The lower ends of the hangers O are provided with longitudinal slots 0 c, and the box is provided with Ll-shaped straps c c, the upper ends of which project above the box and are provided with transverse bolts 0 0 which pass through the slots 0 c and are provided with nuts for clamping the parts in their adjusted positions. It will be readily seen that the hangers could be provided with other means for adjusting the height of the box relative to the block B without departing from the scope of my invention.

The middle of the box 0 is provided with a mercury-receptacle C formed by transverse end pieces C C and a bottom plate C between which and the bottom of box 0 is formed an open-ended passage 0 The working faces of both plate 0 and block B are fiat and smooth. The end pieces 0 C are provided above their lower edges with slots or openings 0 0 at the outer sides of which are troughs or boxes 0 c, which may be con nected by a short pipe or passage with the interior of said receptacle C The rear end of the box C is closed and its forward or discharge end is open for the exit of the waste material.

D is what I term a flour or float gold arrester, and it consists of a frame or network of silver or copper, and when placed in the opening or bore 13 of block 13 will separate and subdivide the descending column of gold-bearing material or slush as it rapidly descends. This framework D is kept clean and polished by the waste mercury contained in the milled ore being treated.

The receptacle 0 is filled to about the level of the lower ends of its openings 0 with mercury, and it is adjusted so as to bring its bottom close up to the bottom face of the block B, and motion is imparted to the box 0 by any suitable means-such, for instance, as crank-shaft E and pitman F. As the stream of ore and water containing the float and flour gold rush into the ore-slot it strikes and dashes from one part of the frame D to another till it meets the main body of mercury, and undergoes another rubbing and scouring and polishing between the block 13 and bottom plate O, when it becomes amalgamated. The mercury that keeps the frame or network D in order is, as before stated, the waste from milled ore, so in a manner the floured mercury by dashing and tumbling down the opening or slot B and striking from part to part of the frame D brings a quantity of floured mercury to unite again and is caught and keeps the frame in good order, so that there is little or no chance of any gold escaping after coming in contact with the main body of mercury.

I11 the drawings I have shown the frameD as formed of a vertical bar 01 and a series of transverse vertically-apertured bars 61, the two being connected by interlocking mortises (1 At the juncture of the bars oblique apertures d are formed through both, which lead from one side of the vertical bar to the other, so that the circulation of the ore-slush will be facilitated. The bars d decrease in length from the middle bar toward both end bars.

It will be seen that I do away with all the wheels and rollers of the patented machine referred to and that the swinging motion of the box 0 is more easily eifected. The adj ustment of the flat bottom plate C to the flat lower face of block 13 may be so close that the two faces will scour, grind, and polish, and free refractory ore (from the finest milled ores even if milled to eighty meshes to the inch) from the oxids and all foreign matter. The small are required by the oscillating motion, say three inches for full stroke, enables the finest ore milled to be sucked in and scoured. Should it be attempted to adjust the faces of the block and plate in the patented machine so close together, the mercury resists all attempts of the ore to pass therebetween in paying quantities.

In this improved machine it has been demonstrated by practice and test and commercial use that the ore and mercury will pass between the bottom portions of the block 13 and receptacle 0 when the latter is oscillated in a manner or to a degree which was not practicable with the patented machine. This is mainly due to the oscillation of the receptacle O,whereby the ore and mercury are caused to run down a straight incline at each movement of the receptacle in either direction. Thus gravity directly aids mechanical agitation, and a new and superior result is prodnced.

The fine adjustment of the working faces of the block B and plate C is assisted by the lower rounded or beveled edges Y) Z) of the former. The lighter waste material will float off through openings 0 into troughs or boxes o from which it will overflow into the bottom of box 0 and eventually flow out of the open end thereof to a waste-chute. Any mercury trapped in boxes or chutes 0 will be returned to receptacle 0 That I claim is 1. The combination,with the ore-feed block, having a vertical passage open at each end, of the float-gold arrester, comprising a frame formed of suitable metal, such as silver, and including a vertical bar and apertu red transverse bars of varying lengths, oblique openings being formed through the bars at their junctures, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination of the pivotally and adjustably suspended, oscillating mercurytrough, the feeding-block therein, the lower face whereof is in close proximity to the bottom of the mercury-trough and adapted to coact therewith to rub or scour the ore, a vertical feed-passage in said block, and a frame composed of perforated bars adapted to catch the flour or float gold, in said passage.

3. The combination of the pivotally and adj ustably suspended oscillating mercurytrough,the feeding-block therein whose lower face is in close proximity to the bottom of the mercury-trough and adapted to coact therewith to rub or scour the ore, a vertical feedpassage in said block and a frame composed of substantially horizontal perforated bars adapted to operate as specified.

4. The combination with a suitable fixed frame, an ore-feed block having a vertical passage, and the float-gold arrester arranged in said passage and comprisinga metal frame, of the oscillating mercury-box arranged beneath and partly inclosing such block, and adapted to cooperate with the latter, to scour and grind the ore, and hangers for said box having knife-edge supports, substantially as shown and described.

JAMES DUNN MACLAY.

Witnesses:

CHAS. HERMANY, J. BAXTEN KREMEN. 

